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Welcome from John Hepp, Jr. to my Web site. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM, 1956), I have written many essays and self-study courses about the Bible. Here I make available a few of those writings, with special interest in God’s Kingdom as revealed in Scripture.

My approach is basically literal (premillennial) and rests on the original Bible languages. There is progress in God’s revelation. Two examples:

The law given at Mt. Sinai had a temporary active role until Messiah came. He obeyed it, paid its demands, and fulfills its types. His disciples realize its standards through the new covenant He has enacted.

Messiah began forming His kingdom assembly (the ekklesia, church) by baptizing in the Spirit at Pentecost.

It is obvious that such progress has resulted in different “economies” or “dispensations.” The Bible, however, gives much greater emphasis to covenants — not those constructed by theologians but those made with Abraham, Israel, David, etc. Tying it all together is the theme of God’s kingdom. Using Alva McClain’s terminology, that kingdom has two aspects: (a) His “universal kingdom,” which never changes, and (b) His “mediatorial kingdom,” which has a past and future history.

You may use any of the materials on this site if you (a) clearly indicate the source, (b) do not quote out of context, and (c) make no changes without permission.

Genesis is “the beginning of God’s written revelation, [giving] the necessary foundation for understanding the rest of the Bible, both its history and its teachings.” This self-study course does not require previous studies.

My self-study course on the Book of Isaiah. Has comments, questions and answers (separate exams available). This “Mount Everest of Hebrew prophecy” is the most quoted in the New Testament. “Isaiah has the clearest and most definite prophecies about the Messiah” in both advents — “much about Messiah’s coming kingdom.”

Studies of what each Gospel says about the kingdom, emphasizing Old Testament background. Explains why God offered the kingdom to Israel knowing it would be rejected, postponed, and pledged for Messiah’s Second Coming.

My self-study course on the Gospel of Matthew.
Has comments, questions and answers (separate exams available). “The kingdom is exactly what the prophets had predicted; Jesus did not change its meaning. It is not true that Jesus inaugurated His kingdom. Instead, He will do so at His Second Coming, just as He said.”

Six keys. Includes careful definition of the kingdom that drew near and the fact that Jesus is presented as “the true Israel [who] recapitulates …parts of Israel’s history.” Part of Matthew self-study course.

Ten keys. Includes parallels to the Exodus, indications that the theme is “true righteousness as the requirement for entering the kingdom,” and how the sermon is fulfilled. Part of Matthew self-study course.

Gives data for study—plus conclusions—under five categories. Equivalents to believing indicate a moral aspect to it, not just a “change of mind.” “Saving faith (a) assents to truth but is more than assent, (b) is not just momentary but persistent.”

“The gospel must surely be clear in the Book of
Acts, God’s authoritative account of the church’s amazing beginning.” Acts has nearly 80 summaries of sermons. This study deals with sermons preached to start the church. Has Comments (mostly on key terms), Contents (summaries by categories, then “Main Teachings”), and Conclusions.

Has summaries and brief commentaries on Romans, with many detailed notes and appendixes. Romans does not spell out the gospel but how it works. One reason there is no condemnation for those in Messiah is that the righteous demands of the law are being fulfilled in them.

“Among the many references in the New Testament to God’s kingdom, Romans 14:17 is unusual. It is often wrongly assumed to mean that the kingdom has begun and is wholly spiritual.” An appendix to “A Survey of Romans.”

This revealed secret (so-called in Eph. & Col.) was the gospel preached by all the apostles and the reason Paul was chained. Not the church but clarifies its character & purpose—and affects many doctrines.

“In this course we teach that (1) the warning passages in Hebrews are addressed to professing believers, some of whom are not genuine believers and are in danger of apostasy, (2) the goal for believers, which is sometimes called ‘salvation,’ is participation with Messiah in His eternal kingdom when He returns.”

“Peter’s product in his mature years…not for scholars but for all Christian ‘pilgrims’ in this world that is not our home.” Comments to aid self-study include many cross-references, especially showing relation to the predicted kingdom.

Ten keys, revised outline. Summary of first key: “In the first three verses John does not tell what and why he writes in this epistle but what and why the apostles preached to every­one.” He writes to give assurance, not to secure fellowship (koinonia).

“The Coming of Jesus’ Eternal Kingdom According to the Book of Revelation”

“The coming of His prophesied kingdom is the great goal of history and the theme of the Bible’s last book. This study looks at what the Revelation says about that process. Before that, it lays a careful foundation regarding the kingdom.” Then it faces many issues to strongly defend the premillennial view. Events in Revelation chapters 4-18 are future and preparatory for the King’s climactic coming in chapter 19. The great numbers of people converted during the great tribulation will all be part of His kingdom assembly (ekklesia), the church. Although transitional, the millennium will itself be the beginning of the “new heaven and new earth,” which will never end.

“The gospel (good news) is not just that now I can go to heaven when I die, but that everything mankind lost in the fall will be restored (paradise regained). The One who will restore it is the Christ, the One anointed to rule and reign (which is the meaning of His title Christ ).”

Godly students give opposite answers to this question. Among the reasons that led me to change my answer: (a) There will only be one parousia . (b) Several passages put earth as goal of the Rapture; no passage unequivocally puts heaven.

Every believer receives the Holy Spirit, who proceeds to transform us, writing God’s laws on our hearts and minds. Although we are not under the old law, essentially the same holiness is being written into us.

“God’s covenants are His solemn promises revealing the plan He is carrying out—where He is leading history. The most important covenant is called the New Covenant, which our Lord Jesus told believers to celebrate regularly in the Lord’s Supper. In fact, the words New Testament actually mean New Covenant .”

Explains the basic gospel as revealed in the first three Gospels and Acts. The many sermons in Acts do not talk about Jesus’ divinity, pre-existence, virgin birth, or the purpose of His death. Instead, they emphasize His Messiahship as seen in His works and His resurrection.

Jesus’ “sonship sometimes, if not always, refers to His human messiahship.” For example, Hebrews 1 calls this a “name he has inherited [Greek, obtained by inheritance]. This did not happen during His pre-existence as Creator…but during His time on earth.”

“Christ’s Coming Kingdom: A Survey of Bible Teaching about the Kingdom”

Self-study course, with comments, questions and answers (separate exams available). “The entire Bible prepares us for Christ’s coming kingdom on earth—the grand climax in which all of God’s people will participate. The main goal for this course is to provide you a simple biblical perspective about that kingdom—one that agrees with all the relevant Scriptures in their normal meanings.”

“The mistaken belief that the kingdom has already begun strips the term of much of its meaning— and misses the point of many passages.” Lists and analyzes usages in Acts & Epistles of basileia for God’s kingdom.